Gleanings (12/09/11) – Speak up. Yell!
Revelation 2:18-29
“I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, . .”
Off to a good start. Even getting better. The latter exceeds the former. But. But!
Complacency is fraught with risk. Resting upon laurels not so good either. Thinking one has arrived is a dangerous, even fatal, thing. How much more when the “one” doing these things is a community?
The church of the 21st century, wherever gathered, is no less susceptible to complacency and hubris than the church in Thyatira. We applaud ourselves for works of compassion. We pride ourselves in our sacrifice. We revel in these things which indeed honor the Lord. But we turn a blind eye to and, more specifically, we go mute in the face of the false teacher who is “beguiling my servants,” says the Lord.
Greatest offender in our present darkness? The Prosperity Gospel people! Just name it and claim it. The only reason you’re not rich is because you haven’t asked. The only reason you’re not well is because you don’t have enough faith. Such is beguiling at best. It’s death dealing potentially. It flips Christianity on its head and destroys the soul because it has no life in
it.
This means we are to be vigilant, and not passive, lest his servants are beguiled. I am no hero but I take a lot of hits for being so critical of false teachings. “You can so negative John.” So. The Lord is crying out to us to be critical in the face of false teachings lest his servants be beguiled. What does it mean to give bread to the poor and have no regard that others rob them of true sustenance?
“Hear what the Spirit says” and speak up!